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Discover Our New Digital Collections Repository – Now in Beta!

The UL Digital Repository Beta Site showing a search results page with the logo in top left corner, a crimson navigation bar across the top that includes a search box, search filter options on the left side of the page and search results on the right side of the page with each search reult displaying an image, crimson header and short description.

The OU Libraries Digital Collections Repository is getting a major upgrade—and is now available for beta testing! This new platform consolidates digital special research collections materials previously scattered across multiple sites into a single open-access repository.

The repository provides fully searchable and freely downloadable access to digitized print, manuscript, photographic, and audio materials from OU Libraries’ distinctive collections, including selections from the History of Science Collections, Western History Collections, American School Archives, Bass Business History Collection, and Nichols Rare Books and Special Collections.

Users will enjoy faceted search, enhanced browsing, and a more intuitive experience for discovering OU’s rich cultural, historical, and scholarly collections. Enriched descriptions support more precise and robust searching, connecting scholars and learners across the globe with primary sources of interest. The search index includes not only the descriptive information for each item but also the full text of PDFs. The image viewers are IIIF (International Image Interoperability Framework ) compliant, providing a robust set of viewing, comparison, and sharing options, and users can also download any image, audio file, or PDF.

Access to the beta version is readily available at  https://uo-prod.i8.dgicloud.com/ or through a banner at repository.ou.edu and features real content and a prominent feedback form for your input. During the beta phase, we will be incorporating user feedback, adding more collections and items, and working through development roadmap items, including progress toward meeting WCAG 2.1 AA digital accessibility standards.

Your feedback is greatly valued as we continue to enhance the site and load additional content. We particularly invite feedback regarding site navigation, search and facet options, and any technical issues you encounter.

The site’s official launch will be in December 2025, when it will replace the current digital collections site.